Tag Archives: longevity

Time to get straight in to the good stuff, easy to follow steps to create training worthy of the gods.

Well, maybe not the gods, at least legendary hero though.

The structure of session I will use as an example in each is as follows:

W/U – warm up, potentiation biased

Skill – learning something new, refining technique etc

Main – building strength and lean mass (muscular bits)

Accessory – often within main element (weak points)

Conditioning – can be for CV or addition to main/acc

C/D – cool down, CNS optimisation bias

Let’s go.

Step 1 – Movement first.

Simple as it sounds many lack any large amount of movement based exercises in their training, as such you are going to want to make sure you get this down first.

You will have something movement related in every session, it can be for warm up/cool down, skill acquisition, main exercises, conditioning or accessory (weak point) purposes, however it will be there every session.

Example:

W/U – Leopard Crawl 100m – 5min

Skill – Loaded carry medley – atlas stones – 15min

Main (strength) – Sandbag clean, carry and load -20min

Accessory (postural) – SA Waiters walk – 10min

Conditioning – Farmers Walk & Suicides – 5min

C/D – Yoga Flow – 5min*

*If you’ve trained in the PM a Yoga flow surrounding internal torque will trigger the para-sympathetic nervous system, if you hit the gym int he AM then you’ll need one focused on external torque.

You get the idea, yo’d have one movement related element in each session, you can of course have a full session of movement like the above as well.

That’s the first step done covered.

Movement is life, quite literally in most cases.

Giving it the attention it deserves in your training will yield results beyond what you ever expected, trust me, it’s totally worth it.

“Just because we’re getting older that doesn’t mean we have to get old.”

Morning All,

A fair quote is has to be said, especially when a lot of people will let their body decay as the decades pass because they feel that they’re past it and for some it’s their time to rest.

While a view that people are welcome to hold, is it the most useful one, that can be up to you to decide.

Typically as we age one or all of these things happen:

– We get immobile

– We get fat

– We get fragile

– We get ill

These are of course preventable (less for severe medical issue), so perhaps instead of letting our health and formative years slide away is it perhaps not a more logical vein of thought to try and maintain as much of our youth as possible via good nutrition choices, exercise and well, continuing to live.

It is not uncommon for people who are approaching the higher numbers to want nothing more than to sit because they’re tired, life hasn’t been easy for them.

While it is understandable, once you start down that path it’s a slippery one, strength begins to fade, energy levels drop through the floor and it starts to look a bit bleak.

So how can we retain some of our past glory?

1 – Solid Nutrition

2 – Strength Training

3 – Becoming a Mover

Here are some starting point for each.

1 – Eat a good amount of meat & veg, have sweet things every now and again, they should be novelty not necessity.

2 – Pick things up off the floor, put things over head, carry things for distance or time.

Now there are more specifics to the above however you will find those out in time, for now look at each of the three and find out which you’re not putting enough focus on because it’s better to tackle them today than put them off until tomorrow.

Remember, just because you get older that doesn’t mean you have to get old.

While the aim of being healthy, mobile and abel to live a long and fruitful life has always been a priority to some, it’s not yet mainstream.

This is going to change me thinks.

Training for things such as strength, aesthetics and other common fitness goals isn’t easy, it requires dedication, accountability and above all else consistency.

Longevity on the other hand requires minimal effort, and that my friends is why people will find it appealing.

People will want to shy away from the harder stuff and start championing that they are training for longevity, it also helps that people don’t know what it looks like, thus making it easier for people to sell in the upcoming future.

In a nutshell here is a guide to it:

– Maintaining overall health (regardless of weight)

– Keeping your full ROM (regardless of weight)

– Being strong enough to do daily tasks with ease

– A CV system that allows you to run up stairs, or to the bus

– Keeps you alive past 70

All worthy things, however it’s the fact that it has no bias towards look or a numerical achievement that will entice people.

Very few want to work hard, many in fact just want to not feel shit about themselves, as such they will search out a group to which they can belong without too much effort and no judgement, seem fair enough to me to want that.

We are social creatures, we’d rather belong than not.

Give it time, if you’ve watched the trends of fitness you’ll see where I’m coming from with this.

You can however delay the degradation of your body by lifting weights and making optimal nutrition choices.

Take some time and think.

Do you want to be 75+ and always in constant pain, with little to no ability to move and do things for yourself or do you want to be one of the 75+ that can still get out and about on their own and have the quality of life they did in their 50’s?

Regular training (lifting weights & cv work) will help, this is because if you don’t give your body a reason to stay healthy, it won’t.

It’s the whole ‘use it or lose it’ concept.

Funnily enough it’s quite an important one to keep in mind in regards to your body and ability to live an active life.

I’ve been lucky enough to work with a wide range of clients.

The biggest changes and appreciation of them comes from those in their later years of life 65+.

Why?

Simple, it gives them back a little of what they’ve lost.

I wish I could help them get it all back, however the damage was already done from years of neglect, sad yet true.

If your goal is sport, competitions or anything else, great, fill your boots, however give some forethought to the future and your body to come.

Here are five key points to remember that happen to us as we age:

(based on a typical untrained elderly person)

1 – Tonic muscles get shorter and tighter

2 – Phasic muscles get weaker (especially in the *PKC)

3 – Bone density goes down

4 – Resting heart rate elevates

5 – Your hormones are less than optimal

*Posterior Kinetic Chain

You can address these points in the following way (like today, don’t wait)

1 – Have a daily flexibility/mobility routine

2 – Kettlebell swings, loaded carries, Get Ups 2-5x P/W

3 – Lift weights 2-3xP/W, focus on compound movements

4 – Daily cardio can be useful, not HIT, simple LISS (walking)

5 – Nutritious food & some extra supplements daily

Now this is of course a massive topic to delve in to, however if you do the above, with a focus on health, movement and longevity – as opposed to being a gym bro or gym bunny, you’ll set the foundations for long term health.

The reason most people won’t do them is because they’re hard, put simply.

Not to mention everyone is caught up in doing all the standard isolation/mirror muscle work.

3 such movements that will literally change how your feel and perform are:

– Kettlebell Swings (Kettlebell snatch when you know it)

– Turkish Get Ups

– Loaded Carries

Let us take at look at all three, their benefits and how you can apply them in to your training.

Kettlebell Swings –

If you know me you’ll know I love these because they load your posterior chain, teach you how to hinge, improve your grip strength, VO2 max and are great for posture too.

Once you have the adequate skill requirements I would advise moving on to the kettlebell snatch, it offers all the same benefits with the added bonus of anti-rotation and shoulder stability/strength/ROM+Health.

They’re not easy when done properly.

That said, you should have them in your workouts, especially if you work at a desk.

10-20min per day will be enough to literally change your life.

Turkish Get Ups (TGU’s) –

A great way to warm up and start your workouts because they will mobilise and activate pretty much every muscle in your body.

They’re easy enough on paper, however once you start doing them and progressing to a heavier weight you’ll find this soon changes.

Balance, core strength, coordination, mobility, strength and most of all fun, that’s what TGU’s will be to you.

You might think that simply standing up and then reversing that movement is easy, you’re welcome to think that, even if it is incorrect, 😁

On a serious note, 10min of alternating side TGU’s as a warm ups will change how your workouts feel and make your body feel 10times better, or at least 7 times better.

If you want challenge in the 10min block aim to do 3 TGU’s consecutively before swapping arms.

Lastly we have a favoured movement of Strongmen the world over.

Loaded Carries –

Want to strip fat? Loaded Carries.

Want to build some muscle and an impressive back with an iron clad grip and legs that won’t buckle when the going gets tough? Loaded Carries.

Want to build mental resilience? Loaded Carries.

These are literally one of the most under utilised movements and it shows.

In daily life we are always having to pick things up and having to take them from point A to B, yet when people go to the gym the sit or lay down to move things.

Madness.

Did you know that in an idea world you should be able to carry your own bodyweight at least 100m?

^^ Okay, that’s not an absolute thing, however it’s a good test of your strength.

Picking things up and wandering around with them is primal and one of, if not the most effective movement/exercise you can do, especially if you’re short on time.

You have many various of loaded carries, you can hold something close to you, by your sides, over your head, one by your side one over head, with bars, bags, dumbbells, plates, anything, just pick it up ann move with it.

If you want to make yourself robust and strip fat, try doing 10-20min of carries at the end of your usual workout, trust me, you won’t regret it.

If you don’t do these three things, you should.

They will make you feel healthier and help protect your from injury.

If all you did was Swings (or snatches), TGU’s and a variety of Loaded Carries, you’d be strong, conditioned and look pretty dam awesome too.

Well you don’t have to be able to do these, however life will be much easier if you can.

1 – A full ROM overhead squat

2 – A full hinge

3 – A get up without the use of your hands

4 – A full ROM pull up

5 – A handstand – advanced

Why those 4?

In terms of general health you’ll find it’s these qualities people lose over time and as such their quality of life depreciates, however if you keep a good amount of strength in these movements you’ll find you age proof yourself throughout the years.

Let’s look at them all individually.

1 – A full ROM overhead squat.

Now this doesn’t have to be with maximal loads, it’s just a movement that will show your bodies potential limitations in ankles, hips & shoulders which are common because of daily life.

This skill can be linked to getting out of a chair or up from sitting on the floor.

If you’re really strong you can do this on one leg too.

2 – A full hip hinge

This is in reference to a full hip flexion with minimal knee bend while not losing upper thoracic position, it will basically allow you to lift things correctly and minimise injury while firing up your hamstrings, glutes, erectors and musculature of the posterior chain.

It will also cross over in to picking something up and carrying it for a distance or time, a skill we NEED in everyday life.

3 – A get up without the use of your hands

If you’ve ever watched the difference between a elderly persona and a youth when it comes to getting up you will see the difference, however keeping the ability to get up without the use of your hands shows total body connection and strength which if kept in to old age can help keep you out of a retirement home.

The above being said, having the ability to perform a Turkish Get Up is also a great skill to have at any age.

4 – A full ROM pull up

Climbing is something we are meant to do. The ability to pull up your own body weight is an essential skill because it shows health & strength, plus if you’ve gotten in to your golden years and have slipped over and perhaps twisted your ankle the ability to grab something and lift yourself up will be most welcome.

5 – A handstand

Balancing on your hands was an old favourite in the days past and showed not only strength and total body connection along with wrist, elbow and shoulder health.

Inversion is a great skill as it requires concentration, bracing, controlled breathing and calm.

Now these movements are very useful for overall health and longevity, if you wish to specialise in a sport then you will have different needs which may go against the best interests of your health/longevity, this is the sacrifice you make.

Being able to move is also great for your mental health too.

If you want to work on these then you can either take up a movement class or perhaps some form of advanced yoga.

Being able to move is important, don’t lose it, the difference between a young body an old one is the ability to move.

^^ A sentence many a man has said over the years and continues to say to this day.

“I want to be lean and strong”

^^ Something I’m pleased to announce more women are saying, it seems there has been a shift in them saying ‘I just want to be skinny’ to now learning the benefit of being lean and strong, it’s great to see.

While it is only my opinion, I feel everybody should be strong.

I’m not talking about record breaking strong, just strong enough to stay healthy and stave off the effects of ageing on the body.

These sports all centre around lifting:

– Weightlifting (olympic lifting)

– Body Building

– Powerlifting

– Strongman

– CrossFit (some may not like this one)

Did you know lifting weights can have the following positive effects on the body:

Personally I’d say the mental improvement is the pivotal one as this can have the biggest impact on a persons life in a very positive way.

However….

If you’re not an athlete and lift for health/confidence you should do it because you enjoy it, not because you feel you have to, that’s the secret to balance and long term sustainability.

Don’t eat yourself up if you miss a session, chalk it up to life and sue it as a rest day, that way you’ll be more motivated when you get to go in, excited to train in fact. Keep this in mind and you’ll find you don’t fall out of love with training.

What if lifting isn’t for you?

That’s cool, find soothing you do enjoy, here are some other options for improving strength and all achieving all the other benefits mentioned above: